Permission to Forbid: New Gezeirot in the History of Halakhah

Are today's rabbis allowed to initiate new prohibitions? Aryeh Klapper analyzes a responsum on the issue of halakhic innovation regarding new technologies.

Nishmat HaBayit: A Window into the Successes of Yoatzot Halacha

Rabbi Ezra Schwartz reviews Nishmat HaBayit, a responsa collection by the Yoatzot Halacha of Nishmat

Pat Yisra’el and Two Approaches to the Aseret Yemei Teshuvah

David Fried explores the humra of pat Yisrael during the aseret yemei teshuvah.

How Halakhah Changes: From Nahem to the “Tisha be-Av Kumzitz”

Chaim Saiman on halakhic change and the observance of Tisha Be-Av.

Lo Yilbash and Gender Difference: A Rejoinder to Moshe Kurtz

Responding to yesterday’s article by Moshe Kurtz, Lehrhaus editor Tzvi Sinensky presents an alternative read of the Mitzvah of lo yilbash.

The Pregnant Sotah: A Case Study in the Ethics of Abortion

Yisroel Ben-Porat grapples with whether the case of the pregnant Sotah has implications for the debates surrounding abortion.

Can I Use Zip-Ties To Hold Down My Sekhakh?

Dan Margulies offers a rundown of the sukkah zip-tie construction, the next great halakhic frontier

Where in my Apartment Should I Light my Hanukkah Lamps?

Dan Margulies explores various opinions on where to light a Hanukah Lamp in dorms and apartments.

Coping under Corona: A Review of Halakhic Approaches to Mental Health and Covid-19

Covid-19 has underscored the extent to which Halakhah is profoundly concerned for mental well-being. Addressing this timely issue, Sharon Galper Grossman and Shamai A. Grossman offer a comprehensive overview of relevant halakhic perspectives on mental health and Halakhah.

Cross-Dressing and Cross-Conduct: When Lo Yilbash Meets Contemporary Western Culture

Moshe Kurtz examines the Torah’s prohibition on cross-dressing as a lens to view the shifting contemporary gender norms.